Bringing the district rural development agency ( DRDA) under the purview of the respective zilla panchayats is seriously being considered by the state government, panchayats minister Rajendra Arlekar said during a meeting with South Goa zilla panchayat (ZP) members at the South Goa district collectorate, Margao, on Wednesday.

“The government is seriously thinking about it. I am also positively for it.

Zilla panchayats should become increasingly efficient, and this will happen only when more funds and powers are allocated to them, and when they are given more avenues to execute development works,” Arlekar said, while also assuring to give a serious thought to the demand for bringing the administration of primary health centres and pre-primary schools under the ambit of zilla panchayats.

The panchayat minister also spoke his mind on the formulation of a plan, on the lines of the member of parliament local area development ( MPLAD) scheme, by which each ZP member would be allocated a certain amount of funds to be spent for development works in his/her jurisdiction.